So tell me... what's your compromise car?

"Matt@ShiftCarBlog" (shiftcarblog) 07/17/2015 at 13:30 • Filed to: qotd, daily driver, tdi

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Living in LA, it’s really tough choosing one car to do it all. The rutted roadways, curvy canyons, distant destinations, and abundant alliterations... there so much to consider when deciding on a car. Matt Farah frequently mentions on The Smoking Tire podcast, it’s really tough to have one car in LA due to all the purposes it has to serve.

I had a 2002 4Runner and a 2014 Scion FR-S that needed to find a way into a single parking space. I wound up selling them both last year and chose the 2014 VW Jetta Sportwagen. It’s got torque, turbo, tons of cargo space, roof rails, and diesel is generally 50 Cent cheaper than regular here in LA which got me sayin’ Ayyooo. It also handles the 405 chop with grace and quiet comfort— not to mention the 51.4mpg (indicated) I got on the way to work today.

I miss having a car that handles like a fox and makes me smile every time I sit in the driver seat... but 60 miles a day in LA traffic with a 6-speed manual is tiring. The communicative suspension of the FR-S frequently communicated expansion joints as hot coffee into my lap, so for now I feel I’m better off.

What was your car compromise? What do you tell yourself to get you through the day?

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Matt@ShiftCarBlog 07/17/2015 at 13:33

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Mine. Best compromise I ever made.

Nibbles > Matt@ShiftCarBlog 07/17/2015 at 13:36

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I wanted something with a manual and sporting characteristics, she wanted an automatic that would be comfortable for cross-country trips

We compromised with a Volvo S40 T5 R-Design

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Matt@ShiftCarBlog 07/17/2015 at 13:37

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It has (had) the spirit of a WRX.

Matt@ShiftCarBlog > Nibbles 07/17/2015 at 13:38

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I like the choice! What made you choose the Volvo over the rest of the sporty Euro cars?

HammerheadFistpunch > Matt@ShiftCarBlog 07/17/2015 at 13:40

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I tell myself - I’m driving the car i want. I tell myself this weekly as I’m waiting for it to fill up with petroleum distillate.

Nibbles > Matt@ShiftCarBlog 07/17/2015 at 13:42

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AWD, emphasis on safety, features - or in some cases, the lack of, seats (seriously Volvo makes the best seats ever) and nonstandard things like turbo 5 banger and the subdued yet pleasing styling.

My only complaint is that the trunk could be bigger. But should’a got a V50 amirite

Justin Hughes > Matt@ShiftCarBlog 07/17/2015 at 13:44

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Honestly, my BRZ is my compromise. But when you consider that in the past my two cars were typically a Miata and a more practical compact of some kind (Saturn, Civic, Sentra SE-R), it really does fall right in the middle of those.

Matt@ShiftCarBlog > HammerheadFistpunch 07/17/2015 at 13:46

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Some days I tell myself the same thing... “Matt, you are driving the car you want. But man, this this M4 isn’t as fast as I expected and it sure looks a lot like a VolksWagen.”

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > HammerheadFistpunch 07/17/2015 at 13:47

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The blessing/curse of a small tank. It doesn’t take nearly as much money to fill up, but it also makes it more likely for you to run out.

TahoeSTi > Matt@ShiftCarBlog 07/17/2015 at 13:48

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Get a set of Koni FSDs all the way around for the Sports wagon the coffee wont spill as much, ride will be greatly improved and as will handling. I also recommend the German rear towing springs if you ever fully load up the car. I never understand why people keep switching cars when there are components to upgrade to fix the issues. As for the manual part deal with it it’s not that bad i did it for 5 years in my STi or Modified 5.0 (this clutch builds leg mussels) in socal traffic. Short throw shifters help as does just giving people space.

Matt@ShiftCarBlog > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 07/17/2015 at 13:49

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Due to the lack of details I will assume you mean... a Mine’s R34 GT-R Race Car?!?

Svend > Matt@ShiftCarBlog 07/17/2015 at 13:49

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It’s the next one actually. Our current car is a 1.4TSi Skoda Superb estate and although we get on great with her as she does everything we need and could possibly ever want, we wanted the next one to have a slightly larger engine which in the Mk2 was the 1.8TSi (unless you wanted to go for the 1.6TDi or 2.0TDi, which we didn’t as diesel didn’t suit our needs). However in the Mk3 guise the only petrols are 1.4TSi in the S spec, 1.4TSi ACT and 2.0TSi, but the 2.0TSi only comes in automatic which is completely out so the only option is to go with the 1.4TSi ACT in SE spec with a couple of options. The 1.4TSi ACT is better than the current unit as it shuts down two of it’s four cylinders under lowload and starts them on acceleration and when required. So it’s not really a compromise as it’s got more power and expected to turn 60mpg rather than the current 45mpg were getting but the intention was a larger engine.

All we asked was:-

* room

* comfortable ride

* reliable

* efficient

* economical

* enough power for purpose

* ease of ownership

* some toys

* price

and in the current car and with the next, the £20,000 Skoda Superb estate was/is a no brainer.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Matt@ShiftCarBlog 07/17/2015 at 13:51

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V8 Colorado. Knock it all you want, it’s awesome.

Matt@ShiftCarBlog > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 07/17/2015 at 13:51

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Fun lil bugeye. I assume you’re in the northeast judging by those cracks in the asphalt?

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Matt@ShiftCarBlog 07/17/2015 at 13:51

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All of my cars have been compromises because I can’t afford to buy a Z-6 Corvette and a pickup truck yet.

Really though, the answer is Snuze! I live in northern VA so I’m in traffic a lot. When I first got it I was commuting around 70 miles a day or more around the beltway. So I wanted something that got good mileage, was reliable, inexpensive, but also kind of nice looking (i.e. not a ratty, rusty old beater) and enjoyable to drive. So I got mine with the 1.4 Turbo and 6 speed manual. I’ve got it tuned up to 180HP so it’s pretty peppy and the clutch is light enough to be livable in traffic, especially now that I’m only driving about 30 miles a day.

At the time I needed a car because Slobalt got totaled and my options were slim. The other two things I was super interested in were the Toyobaru Twins and the Subaru Crosstrek. Sadly, the Toyobaru twins hadn’t hit dealerships yet, and the Crosstrek was only available with an automatic at first, no dealers near me had manuals. I also looked at Hyundai Elantra and Veloster but the Cruze won out.

As far as getting through the day, I don’t tell myself much. Its a nice little car that fits my needs well and as I said it’s at least pleasant to drive, if not a blazing performer. If I had the money, I might consider trading it in for the Crosstrek or a Renegade because I’m getting back into camping and have also started competitive shooting, and a vehicle like that would be a lot easier to cram camping gear or full length rifle cases into. But I find I can make the Cruze work for for me in most situations.

Matt@ShiftCarBlog > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 07/17/2015 at 13:55

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Come on, who’s gonna knock RWD V8 life? My dad has a ‘94 Silverado V6 beater that is a combination of charm and rusty holes. I picture a V8 Colorado as more of a fun experience and less of piloting a ‘94 Chevy aircraft carrier.

HammerheadFistpunch > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 07/17/2015 at 13:57

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truth. I hate my tiny 25 gallon tank. We used to have a 3/4 ton suburban with a supercharged 454 and a 45 gallon tank. it had the legs (range well over 600 highway miles) but filling it up with 45 gallons of premium each time was a sucker punch to the gut.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Matt@ShiftCarBlog 07/17/2015 at 13:57

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Those who knock ordinary Colorados. They have their reasons, I can’t deny them that. The reasons they have are perfectly valid.

ArmadaExpress drives a turbo outback > Matt@ShiftCarBlog 07/17/2015 at 13:58

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So fitting that today I am trading my e60 535 in today for a fully loaded MDX so I have room for the family. Also the MDX will be more reliable than a german twin-turbo vehicle. oh also SH-AWD for Buffalo winters. Fortunately the search is on for an 06-08 Forester XT w/ a manual to get me my fix.

Matt@ShiftCarBlog > TahoeSTi 07/17/2015 at 14:08

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Ahh, it was the FR-S that was sending coffee all over my lap... I just clarified in the original post. The SportWagen is a more plush ride, and the DSG is a very competent automatic when its in S mode. I would love to do some suspension work to the SportWagen, but I leased it and I’m keeping my mod itch under control for the time being.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > HammerheadFistpunch 07/17/2015 at 14:11

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Mine’s only 17 gallons, and at 12 mpg, it hurts.

Matt@ShiftCarBlog > ArmadaExpress drives a turbo outback 07/17/2015 at 14:13

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I am agreeing with your choices all around... I really like the Forester XT idea- so much utility and so much mod potential if you want it. Have you watched the Smoking Tire one take with the tuned Forester XT? Such an awesome car.

Did you have a bad 535i experience? Or just time to move on?

Matt@ShiftCarBlog > Justin Hughes 07/17/2015 at 14:18

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That’s great. It’s such a fun car to own. I think about circling back in a couple use for a used BRZ... I like the styling touches (lighting, seats, small interior bits, even the moustache) better than the FR-S for essentially the same price now that you can find dealer discounts. Is there anything you don’t like about living with the BRZ?

Justin Hughes > Matt@ShiftCarBlog 07/17/2015 at 14:23

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Well I kind of wrote about it . The ride is a bit stiff for everyday use on crappy Massachusetts roads. I usually don’t notice, but then I hop in my other half’s Focus, glide along smoothly, and get spoiled. She also can’t drive my BRZ because the shifter is too notchy for her bum shoulder. It would also be nice if I could carry more stuff or tow a small trailer on occasion, but that’s what her Focus is for.

Even a year and a half ago, I managed to snag my BRZ for less than I could find a new FR-S. It’s a Premium with no options, the most basic BRZ you can get, yet it still comes with nav and those cool LED rings around the headlights and such. I’m told the BRZ tends more toward understeer while the FR-S is more neutral, but I’ve never driven an FR-S in anger to see for myself.

B/Xmrrmvr > Matt@ShiftCarBlog 07/17/2015 at 14:32

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Currently don’t have my own car (carpool to work) but with every passing winter in NYC, I find myself realizing that the roads/potholes will NEVER get better, just a whole lot worse.

Because of that, I’ve decided that I’m going to have to hold off on getting a sport/sporty car when the time comes and get something that can deal with the shitty roads (considering if I need the ability to drive over curbs)... so either a Forester XT or a Wrangler. The shitty NYC roads do a fine job everyday of reminding me of why I shouldn’t buy a performance car while I’m still living here.

Matt@ShiftCarBlog > Justin Hughes 07/17/2015 at 14:34

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Ha my bad, I remember reading that now... I didn’t make the connection. Cargo capacity always seemed to be an issue, but I see so many 911s and Caymans... even Toyobarus out here with roof racks, I feel like maybe I just needed to get a roof/bike rack and learn to deal with it. The stiff suspension paired with the ridiculous center console cubby/cup holder was really the nail in the coffin for me.

Matt@ShiftCarBlog > Nibbles 07/17/2015 at 14:40

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We can keep our fingers crossed that they Polestar all the things.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Matt@ShiftCarBlog 07/17/2015 at 14:41

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Our X3 Xdrive35i combines many attrubutes of a high-performance sports sedan (which is what we’d have in a perfect world) with the practicality of a little crossover.

Nibbles > Matt@ShiftCarBlog 07/17/2015 at 14:42

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A Polestar tune is in my future :)

Justin Hughes > Matt@ShiftCarBlog 07/17/2015 at 14:46

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I haven’t seen many 86s with roof racks, but I did see one at Pennsic last year, with his wooden tent poles strapped to it. But my other half got some for her Focus, so I don’t have to interrupt the smooth lines of my car for it.

GrannyShiftin' > Matt@ShiftCarBlog 07/17/2015 at 15:10

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Well, when the answer is not Miata, I would say it would be a GTI 4 door, a great family car and fun times for Dad!

ArmadaExpress drives a turbo outback > Matt@ShiftCarBlog 07/17/2015 at 15:29

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I love the 535, although I wish I had waited for a model with the sport package when I initially bought it. Fortunately it was a CPO because it was in the shop several times and I just kept waiting for the next big item to break. The money wasn’t the issue by itself, but it just didn’t want to spend it that way. I had a Juice box on it and it was fast; but it was an automatic and I just felt isolated from driving. I’ll miss it, but we’re planning on having a third child at some point in the near future and this was the best time to trade my car in value-wise. I still really like the MDX and I’m especially happy that we didn’t end up with the Infinity JX35 that was our second choice (awesome for hauling people, also pretty much a minivan).

I haven’t seen the smoking tire, but I follow a tuner shop in my area (Innovative Tuning) and I’ve seen what they can do. I also used to own an NA ‘06 Forester that I really miss.

HammerheadFistpunch > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 07/17/2015 at 15:31

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yeah, I was blown away how bad the range in my cousins 3rd gen was, tank size was the culprit since he was doing much better mileage than I was.

E92M3 > Matt@ShiftCarBlog 07/17/2015 at 17:11

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I haven’t had to compromise luckily, but theoretically if I had to go down to 1 vehicle I would keep the MDX. It’s an auto which is good in Atlanta traffic, my 90lb dog fits in the back, it’s rated to tow 5000lbs (I accidentally discovered it will tow MUCH more), and it handles quite well for an SUV.

Maidee > Matt@ShiftCarBlog 07/17/2015 at 17:27

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I too live in LA and is currently on the market for a new daily. The Sportwagen tdi is on the top of my list but if you don’t mind I have some questions and would like your experience to help. How was the reliability? (I know it's a vw not a Toyota) How much was maintenance and repairs? In stop and go traffic what is the realistic mpg? Thanks!

Matt@ShiftCarBlog > Maidee 07/17/2015 at 17:38

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Mine only has 10k on the odo, so I don’t have much reliability experience with it. New VWs get the first two maintenance services free at 10k and 20k miles, which is mainly oil change and tire rotation. Only weird quirk so far is my touch screen head unit doesn’t turn on for a few minutes once in a while- totally unresponsive to the power button until it chooses to power up. The diesel engine starts to break in around 10k, so I have noticed my gas mileage tick up 2-3mpg in the last month. I’ve always had a thing for TDI wagons and enjoy only having to fill up every other week.

Real world MPG:

http://www.fuelly.com/car/volkswagen…

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Matt@ShiftCarBlog 07/17/2015 at 17:43

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I *want* to say I am fortunate to be driving a vehicle I actually wanted. But that was because I had compromised years ago with my expectations. A pickup is just more useful than a liftback... Funny enough after actually owning my first pickup I will probably never go back. Like taking a chance on a love interest you had reservations about but once you took the plunge you were like OH YEAH.

But I still want a liftback.

The Compromiser > Svend 07/17/2015 at 21:23

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I own a charger. If you want to run it through the jalopmeter it comes up as why the compromise bro? I then became the compromiser. I drove 2 hours each way to and from work. No shifting, cruise air and a kick ass stereo. I can live with it.

Svend > The Compromiser 07/18/2015 at 00:57

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I shouldn’t really call it a compromise is it’s ever so slightly more power and more fuel efficient than the current one but I guess I wanted a 1.8TSi (which they don’t do any longer).

I think I’ll actually be getting a great deal as I can’t fault Skoda, it’s design, reliability and ergonomics.

The Compromiser > Svend 07/18/2015 at 08:06

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I love Skoda. I wish we had them here. They are like nice, practical, smarter, VWs.

My previous car was a Manual Mazda Protégé 5 (323Familia). It was fun. I can pas a Transport truck in about 5 seconds now at speed on a 2 lane road. Good Compromise ;)

ZOOMZOOM! > Matt@ShiftCarBlog 10/01/2015 at 00:23

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My name.

Bandit > Matt@ShiftCarBlog 10/01/2015 at 00:58

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I never really made any compromises. I have both my 2 door rwd V8 coupe, and my 4wd fullsize SUV. But being at school most of the year I have to compromise a 4 wheel vehicle for something more of the 2 wheel variety.

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > Matt@ShiftCarBlog 10/01/2015 at 02:10

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my GLI.

I wanted fun. mom wanted safe.

I wanted fast. mom wanted comfortable.

I wanted street cred. mom wanted MPG’s

I wanted BMW. she wanted VW

I wanted modability. she didn’t know about modability

thejahbro > Matt@ShiftCarBlog 10/01/2015 at 02:20

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Abarth 500!

911e46z06 > Matt@ShiftCarBlog 10/01/2015 at 02:23

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Compromises are for people with kids.

505 - morphine not found > Matt@ShiftCarBlog 10/01/2015 at 05:59

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I don’t know, if anyone mentioned this just yet, but a BMW 3-series wagon would probably be your answer. Shame it’s double the price of your VW, as it’s probably not double the car.

As for me, I still have, and plan on having two cars, as the wife insist we need a 7-seater. We do actually have 3 kids and my mother-in-law doesn’t drive, so my baby does have a point. However there is no single 7-seater out there, not for any money, that I would take as an only car...

MHunter905 > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 10/01/2015 at 08:27

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I drove a 5 cyl Colorado parts truck and I thought it was pretty nice. Not quite as nice as the TRD Tacoma parts truck I drove at a Toyota dealer but still quite good. I liked the hum of the 5 cyl engine. I didn’t even know you could get one with a V8.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > MHunter905 10/01/2015 at 08:54

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Apparently the earlier I5 was pretty rough, and the reputation stuck.

The V8 was only available '09-'12.

mattwrotethisII > Matt@ShiftCarBlog 10/01/2015 at 09:33

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2014 F150 STX Sport 3.7L: I won’t drive a wrong-wheel-drive (FWD) car, I need something that can tow my Mustang II to and from the track, and I need somewhat decent gas mileage because I have a 50 mile (round trip) daily commute.

My original plan was to trade in my 250,000 mile 1999 GMC Sierra on a nice RWD daily driver, and I did, I figured I’d pick up another cheap beater truck like the GMC had been for the past 4 years and 60,000 miles later on. I’d had a 2010 Mustang GT I dearly loved, but had to sell after a year due to some financial difficulties, so I went looking for another, and I bought a 2009 Mustang GT/CS with 16,000 miles on it, and an extended warranty (Fidelity) last October. That night, the transmission started whining in 5th gear (5-spd manual), and the Nav unit failed. I took it back to the dealership I bought it at, they fixed the Nav and swore the transmission was fine. Thirteen days later, in the middle of IH-35 in Austin, the throttle body closed while coasting downhill, and didn’t re-open at the bottom (was using cruise control)... fighting across three lanes of traffic with ZERO horsepower was SO much fun, let me tell you. The Ford dealership in Austin put a new throttle body on it, and the Ford dealership I’d bought it from covered the tow and the rental for a day. In December, I’d started a new job with a Ford dealership (the one I commute to and from), and the transmission refused to come out of fifth gear when I went to downshift on the off-ramp 1/2-mile from work. At the stoplight I managed to wrestle it out of fifth, but found the only gear I could get it to go into was third, so I had to limp it the last 1/2 mile, from a dead stop, in third gear. Fidelity paid to have a used transmission from LKQ put in. That transmission whined in every single gear, it sounded like the unsynchronized three-speed I’d driven in an old Chevy dump truck with a 327 in it when I’d worked at a shop out in the sticks.

This was in January of this year, so I decided “Hey, Ford says the new 2014 3.7L F150s get 23mpg, the rebates are good enough to get me out from under this note on the ‘09 GT/CS, it’ll tow the Mustang II, and I’ll have more room, and I get the employee discount, I’ll do that!”

I hate this truck. It’s reliable, hell, it’s damned reliable, 13,000 miles and not so much as hiccup. But the gas mileage is worse than a 6.0L Chevy 3/4-ton I once had, hell, it’s worse than the 1984 F150 with a carbureted 302 I once had. The drive-by-wire lag is at times so bad that I can actually count “one-thousand-one, one-thousand-two” between moving my foot on the accelerator and anything actually happening at the throttle body, which would be fine if it were consistent and predictable, but it’s not, sometimes it’s spot-on, and often it’s somewhere random in-between. The electric power steering over-assists in parking lots and under-assists just about everywhere else, and I bought the Supercab instead of the Supercrew, meaning the rear doors of the cab are 100% useless in most parking spots, because you can’t open the front doors wide enough to open them! The transmission, while reliable so far, has been dubbed the “schizo-matic” due to it’s never making up its mind on how or when it’s going to shift. It will sometimes shift firmly, with authority, other times you can’t feel it. I tackle the same big hill on my commute daily, with the cruise at 70mph, and it will downshift as low as 3rd on any given day, but sometimes only shifts to 4th or 5th, and when it does that, I slow to about 55-60 before I take over and manually downshift or floor it so that it will. And don’t get me started on Sync... it’s gone.

The good things are the acceleration, the comfort, the handling other than the ridiculous power steering, the towing (seriously, the towing, this little V6 does a better job than all but two of the V8 pickups I’ve owned in that regard, it actually blew my mind how well this truck tows with such a tiny engine!)

The whole thing’s a compromise though, I’d really rather be daily driving another Mustang, an FRS/BRZ, a Camaro, a Challenger, a Genesis Coupe, a G37 or 370Z, or any of several BMWs (manual transmission only in any of the above) with an old Chevy, GMC, Ford, or Dodge pickup for a workhorse/tow-rig. At this point though, I’m a few thousand upside down on the truck, and have put a badass stereo system (Sync sucked so bad that replacing the stock stereo was my 2nd mod.) in it, a brush guard, tool box, in-bed and in-toolbox LED lighting, and off-road and utility lighting front and rear, and I’ve made nearly a year of the payments already, so I think I’ll keep it.

neverspeakawordagain > B/Xmrrmvr 10/01/2015 at 10:24

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I daily-drive a 2015 Mustang GT in Brooklyn. The roads are not a problem — just means that shocks are a wear item that have to get replaced annually.

B/Xmrrmvr > neverspeakawordagain 10/01/2015 at 10:26

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Get back to me after winter passes.

Mark Bour > Matt@ShiftCarBlog 10/01/2015 at 10:33

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Funny, I’m in the exact same boat, except my FR-S is a Porsche Boxster and my 4Runner is a Jeep Cherokee. Will be moving to LA by next summer.

My Jeep was rear-ended and totaled last month, so that solves that problem. I decided I wanted to go back to one car, and unfortunately it would have to get me through my last winter here in New York, so the Porsche was out. The Boxster is getting traded in on a new GTI. Not the same, but still fun, has room for my drums and dogs, and will save me a boat load of cash.

Once we’re in LA, I’ll probably keep the GTI for a bit, but a Lotus Elise has been on my radar for a while. Will likely let her have the GTI and I’ll have the Lotus. My commutes will likely be done via motorcycle - I don’t like sitting in traffic.

Matt@ShiftCarBlog > Mark Bour 10/01/2015 at 10:39

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I’ve been thinking about a two wheel commuter for months. I get so jealous seeing them zip in between lanes. It would solve the lack of adrenaline inducers in my garage. It would probably reduce the number of parking tickets I get too *shakes fist in the air at Santa Monica*

B/Xmrrmvr > neverspeakawordagain 10/01/2015 at 10:40

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Out of curiosity, how often do you drive on the Belt Pkwy?

functionoverfashion > Matt@ShiftCarBlog 10/01/2015 at 11:12

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My compromise is a lot like yours - it’s a 2003 BMW 325xi wagon, 5 speed manual. It’s nice to drive around town or long distances, it has enough power, it’s safe for carrying my young family around, and it carries enough stuff. Not as fast as a V70R, but way less maintenance cost. Not as big as my old suburban, but what is? Not as fun as my wife’s old S40 T5 6-speed but much more practical. Not as efficient as a TDI sportwagen, but... I’ll leave it at that. Not as “light” feeling as my sister’s WRX wagon/hatch, but it’s much nicer on the highway than the subie. And although it’s a “modern” BMW, it’s old enough that it’s pretty easy to work on. I love it!

Mark Bour > Matt@ShiftCarBlog 10/01/2015 at 11:17

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I’ve ridden in LA a number of times and couldn’t deal with having to do it in a car each and every time. Splitting lanes during heavy traffic saves a ton of time, but it’s also stressful (at least with my limited experience) and I find I often seen to cut back into a lane just to relax for a moment.

I may not even get a fancy sports car out there, year round riding with some of the world’s best roads on a motorcycle may be everything I need.

mazda616 > Matt@ShiftCarBlog 10/01/2015 at 11:28

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I'm 25. Been driving for 9 years. I've had 3 cars, counting the one I have now. They have all been front wheel drive econoboxes. So, I'd say they were all compromise cars. Because I can't have the fun car I really want. :)

neverspeakawordagain > B/Xmrrmvr 10/02/2015 at 10:48

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I got the Mustang last December. Threw on some snow tires and had not problem at all.

neverspeakawordagain > B/Xmrrmvr 10/02/2015 at 10:49

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Once a week or so. Drive on the BQE basically every day.

B/Xmrrmvr > neverspeakawordagain 10/02/2015 at 11:49

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The roads are not a problem — just means that shocks are a wear item that have to get replaced annually.

And you’re using Snow Tires in the winter (high-profile sidewalls I assume?)? To me, that indicates that there’s a huge problem with the roads (unless you’re driving ~50000 miles annually). I don’t think suspension should be considered an annual wear item, city or not.

I’m happy that you’ve never had a bad encounter with a 4-5 inch deep pothole caused by a Sanitation Department snowplow, but they do exist. Those potholes are still around in the spring, when you have to put your performance tires back on (unless you install something else in between that period).

While it may sound as if I am exaggerating, there are parts of the city (outside of your area of Brooklyn) where potholes get really bad. There are countless articles about potholes in the city so I’m not just whining. The roads are a problem during and after winter.

And yes, people can learn to avoid them and should drive cautiously during the winter. However, as someone who enjoys driving, I don’t enjoy the fact that I have to constantly be on the look-out for hidden/hard-to-see potholes as I drive across the Cross Bronx, Belt Pkwy, Jackie Robinson, Grand Central, hell even Northern Blvd (especially after winter all the way to summer).

Anyway, congratulations on not damaging your Mustang while living in NYC (seriously).

And off-topic: what did you do when the transition to Spring started (when the temperature was fluctuating between low 30s to high 40s)? Did you keep them on for a bit longer or switch back earlier?

neverspeakawordagain > B/Xmrrmvr 10/05/2015 at 12:54

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Oh, I’ve had problems with potholes — my previous car before my 2015 Mustang was a 2011 Mustang, and in the four years I had that car I think I had six tires that had to be replaced because of pothole damage. You just get used to it after a while.
As far as the tires go, you just have to pick the right ones. I have Michelin X-Ice Xi3 winter tires (which are absolutely amazing), and Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3’s for 3-season work. The Pilot Sports aren’t pure summer-only performance tires — they’re nominally all-seasons, although I’d never drive them in snow — but they’re better performing than the stock Pirelli PZero summer-only performance tires, and have no problem driving in 30-40 degree weather when it’s in that in-between stage of not quite snow-tire weather but not quite summer-only weather.